Puzzle



June 11, 1968 R. R. BOOMHOWER 3,387,847

PUZZLE Filed May 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Robert R. Boomhower INVENTOR.

Ammr s June 11, 1968 R. R. BOOMHOWER 3,387,847

, PUZZLE Filed May 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

Robert R. Boom/lower IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,387,347 PUZZLE Robert R. Boomhower, 308 Arabian Road, Palm Beach, Fla. 33480 Filed May 18, 1%6, Ser. No. 550,992 4 Claims. (Cl. 273159) The instant invention relates to puzzles, and more particularly to a puzzle which requires an actual physical manipulation of elements.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a puzzle wherein the solution resides in the removal of a single element, the removal of which, in the absence of a knowledge of the solution, being seemingly impossible.

Another significant object of the instant invention resides in the provision of an entertainment device which can be enjoyed :by both children and adults both because of the difficulty in initially discovering the solution, and because of the simplicity of the actual manipulative steps involved in the solution.

Likewise, it is a significant object of the instant invention to provide a manipulative puzzle which is compact in structure and capable of being easily carried on ones persons.

Basically, the puzzle of the instant invention, in achieving the above objects, is to consist of an elongated rigid paddle-like body having a longitudinally elongated slot therethrough toward one end of the body and a laterally enlarged head on the opposite end of the body. An elongated flexible cord is threaded through the slot. Mounted on the cord, on each side of the slot, is an enlarged head of a size incapable of passage through the slot. In addition, the outer extremity of each end of the cord includes an enlarged flat disc thereon which is ilself capable of passage through the slot. Finally, a ring or annular collar is mounted on the rigid paddlelike member between the slot and head, this ring being incapable of passage over the head while at the same time capable of moving both over the opposite end of the base member and over the cord mounted beads, as well as through the longitudinally elongated slot. By the same token, the ring cannot pass over either of the cord mounted discs. Utilizing this structure, the solution of the problem involves the complete removal of the ring from the device, this solution being detailed in the more complete description of the device which follows.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the puzzle of the instant invention with the ring disclosed in its mounted position; and

FIGURES 26 sequentially illustrate the steps taken in the solution of the puzzle, that is the removal of the ring.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the puzzle. This puzzle includes an elongated paddle-shaped base member 12 having a longitudinally elongated slot 14 therethrough toward one end thereof and a laterally enlarged fiat head 16 on the other end thereof.

An elongated flexible cord 18 extends through the slot 14 and is freely movable therethrough. Mounted on each end of the flexible cord 18 is an enlarged flat disc-like member 29 which is of a size so as to enable it to pass through the slot 14. Also mounted on the cord 18, inwardly of each of the discs or members 20, is a spherical bead 22 which is incapable of passage through the slot 14 due to the relatively narrow nature of the slot 14, the bead ice 22 of course thereby having a diameter greater than the thickness of the corresponding disc 20. Finally, a ring or annular collar 24 is provided, this ring 24 being incapable of passage over the enlarged head 16 or the discs 20, while at the same time being capable of movement over the narrower end of the member 12, as well as over the beads 22 and through the slot 14.

The solution of the puzzle resides in the complete freeing of the ring 24 from the mounted position about the member 12 between the head 16 and the cord received through the slot 14, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. As will be appreciated, any attempt to directly move the ring 24 off of the remaining elements will result in the ring being blocked by either the enlarged head or by the enlarged discs 20 over which the ring cannot pass.

With reference to FIGURES 2 through 6, it will be noted that the manipulative steps required to remove the ring 24 involve first passing one of the discs 20 through the slot 14, next moving the ring upwardly over the single bead on the same side of the cord as the disc which was passed through the slot 14 and continuing the upward movement of the ring off of the small end of the base member 12. With reference to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the ring now solely encircles the folded cord 18 to one side of the base member. The next step involves passing the ring 24 through the slot 14 along the folded length of the cord toward the bead 22 limiting the complete passage of the cord through the slot 14. This movement of the ring 24 through the slot 14 continues until the ring 24 passes completely off of the cord over the bead 22, thereby freeing the ring com letely from the device. If so desired, at this point, the disc 20 initially passed through the slot 14 can be returned through the slot so as to, aside from the removed ring 24, return the puzzle 10 to its original arrangement.

In order to remount the ring 24, the above steps need merely be reversed as follows: one of the enlarged discs 20 to one side of the base paddle-like member 12 is passed through the slot 14 from a first side of the member 12 to the second side thereof with the movement of the cord through the slot being limited by the bead 22 on the first side of the member 12. The ring 24 is then positioned over the bead and folded portion of the cord toward the first side of the member 12 and subsequently passed through the slot 14 so as to straddle both portions of the folded cord on the second side of the member 12. At this point, the ring is passed over the small end of the member 12 and moved downwardly thereon over the bead positioned against the slot 14 after which the disc 20 initially passed through the slot 14 is returned therethrough above the ring 24, thereby effectively locking the ring on the base member.

From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that a relatively simple though highly unique puzzle has been devised with the particular elements defining the puzzle requiring, in the removal of a seemingly impossible to remove element, a series of unobvious manipulative steps such as is contemplated to provide an interesting and entertaining challenge to the user.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A puzzle comprising an elongated base member, said base member including an enlargement thereon toward one end thereof, and an aperture defined through said member in spaced relation to said enlargement and toward the second end of said member, a flexible cord extending freely through said aperture, first limit means fixed on a first portion of the cord to a first side of said member incapable of movement through said aperture, second limit means fixed on the second portion of the cord to the second side of said member incapable of movement through said aperture, said second limit means being positioned inwardly of the outer end of said second portion, an enlargement on the second portion outer end freely passable through said aperture, and a ring positionable about said base member between the enlargement thereon and the aperture therein, said ring being incapable of passage over either enlargement while freely movable over said second limit means and the sec ond end of the base member and through said aperture, said cord second portion enlargement and said ring being manipulative for complete removal of said ring from said base member and from said cord.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first limit means is positioned inwardly of the outer end of said first portion of the cord and an enlargement is provided on said outer end of the first portion, said last mentioned enlargement being freely passable through said aperture and of a size so as to preclude movement of the ring thereover.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said limit means are in the form of spherical beads, said cord mounted enlargements being in the form of flat discs, the thickness 4 i of said discs being less than the diameter of said beads, said aperture being in the nature of an elongated slot, said slot having a width greater than the thickness of said discs and less than thediameter of said heads.

4. A puzzle comprising an elongated rigid base member, a laterally enlarged head on one end of said member, an elongated slot through said member toward the second end thereof, an elongated flexible member extending freely through said slot, a first enlarged element fixed to the flexible member on each side of the base member, each element being incapable of passage through said slot, a second element fixed to each end of the flexible member, each second element being movable through said slot, and a ring-like member positionable about said base member between the enlarged head thereon and the flexible member through said slot, said ring-like member being passable over and off of the second end of the base member, through the slot, and over the first flexible member mounted elements, said second elements and said enlarged head being incapable of passage through said ring-like member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,334 9/1898 Richardson a- 273-l59 2,744,754 5/1956 Yih-Hung Lee 273-159 2,921,793 1/1960 Hedrick 273-l59 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

4. A PUZZLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RIGID BASE MEMBER, A LATERALLY ENLARGED HEAD ON ONE END OF SAID MEMBER, AN ELONGATED SLOT THROUGH SAID MEMBER TOWARD THE SECOND END THEREOF, AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE MEMBER EXTENDING FREELY THROUGH SAID SLOT, A FIRST ENLARGED ELEMENT FIXED TO THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER ON EACH SIDE OF THE BASE MEMBER, EACH ELEMENT BEING INCAPABLE OF PASSAGE THROUGH SAID SLOT, A SECOND ELEMENT FIXED TO EACH END OF THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER, EACH SECOND ELEMENT BEING MOVABLE THROUGH SAID SLOT, AND A RING-LIKE MEMBER POSITIONABLE ABOUT SAID BASE MEMBER BETWEEN THE ENLARGED HEAD THEREON AND THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER THROUGH SAID SLOT, SAID RING-LIKE MEMBER BEING PASSABLE OVER AND OFF OF THE SECOND END OF THE BASE MEMBER, THROUGH THE SLOT, AND OVER THE FIRST FLEXIBLE MEMBER MOUNTED ELEMENTS, SAID SECOND ELEMENTS AND SAID ENLARGED HEAD BEING INCAPABLE OF PASSAGE THROUGH SAID RING-LIKE MEMBER. 